Commentary on political happenings around the nation and locally in Milwaukee, WI.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Health Care Biggest Issue Facing Wisconsin Businesses

Paul Soglin has a great post that dissects a poll taken by the business lobby Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) of its members. Paul takes special note of the disconnect between what members view as the biggest problem spot for Wisconsin and what they actually view as the biggest issue for themselves.

What jumped out at me, in addition to the disconnect Paul points out, is what appears as the #1 issue facing WMC members: health care costs.

It will be interesting to see whether WMC, the biggest spending lobby group in the state, gets behind one of the health care proposals currently before the state legislature as strongly as it backed TABOR.

The one with the most promise, in my view, was proposed by Sen. Russ Decker (D-Schofield) and Rep. Terry Musser (R-Black River Falls) a couple weeks ago. It would save businesses in Wisconsin millions.

So far, though, nothing but crickets chirping out of the WMC corner on any of the comprehensive health care reform packages currently before the legislature. Talk about a disconnect.